System and method for use of a short beacon in a wireless communication network

• US 8,165,050 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2009
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ngo, Chiu, Shao, Huai-Rong
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hom, Shick
• Application Number:
  US12/410,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20100002627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/02 Hybrid access

Abstract

A system and method for use of a short beacon in a wireless communication network is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises generating a short beacon comprising PHY information, wherein the short beacon excludes MAC information and transmitting the short beacon via the wireless network. In general, three types of short beacons are disclosed, a first type consisting only of a PHY preamble, a second type also including a PHY header, and a third type also including a MAC header. In addition, the scheme of common beacons and individual beacons is described. Common beacons are broadcast omni-directional at the beginning of each superframe with low data rate and individual beacons are unicast to individual devices directionally with high data rate. A common beacon contains information intended for all of the devices of the network. An individual beacon contains information intended for one particular device.

Claims

1. A method of beacon transmission in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

generating a short beacon comprising PHY information, wherein the short beacon excludes MAC information;

transmitting the short beacon via the wireless network;

transmitting a conventional beacon request in response to the short beacon; and

transmitting a conventional beacon in response to the conventional beacon request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the short beacon comprises a PHY preamble, and wherein the short beacons excludes a PHY header, a MAC header, or a MAC payload.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the short beacon consists of PHY preamble information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the conventional beacon has a data size which is larger than a data size of the short beacon.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the conventional beacon comprises a PHY preamble, a PHY header, a MAC header, and a MAC payload.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the short beacon comprises a first PHY preamble, the conventional beacon comprises a second PHY preamble, and the first PHY preamble has a data size which is smaller than a data size of than the second PHY preamble.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the short beacon is a common beacon, further comprising:

determining a first scheduled time for communication with a first device;

determining a direction associated with the first device;

generating an individual beacon for the first device, the individual beacon indicative of a second scheduled time for communication with the first device; and

transmitting, during the first scheduled time for communication with the first device, the individual beacon in the direction associated with the first device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a first scheduled time for communication with a second device;

determining a direction associated with the second device;

generating an individual beacon for the second device, the individual beacon indicative of a second scheduled time for communication with the second device; and

transmitting, during the first scheduled time for communication with the second device, the individual beacon in the direction associated with the second device.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting, the common beacon prior to transmitting the individual beacon for the first device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the common beacon is transmitted omni-directionally.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the individual beacon comprises a PHY preamble, a PHY header, a MAC header, and a MAC payload.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the short beacon provides a particular waveform announcement.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the particular waveform announcement represents that a device that transmits the short beacon supports the particular waveform.

12. A system for beacon transmission in a wireless communication network, the system comprising:

a beacon generator configured to generate a short beacon comprising PHY information and to generate a conventional beacon, wherein the short beacon excludes MAC information; and

a transmitter configured for transmitting the short beacon via the wireless network, transmitting a conventional beacon request in response to the short beacon, and transmitting a conventional beacon via the wireless network in response to the conventional beacon request.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the system is a consumer electronics component.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the consumer electronics component comprises a television, a set-top box, a personal computer, a laptop computer, or a dedicated controlling box.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the short beacon is a common beacon, further comprising:

a memory configured to store a first scheduled time for communication with a first device and a direction associated with the first device, wherein the beacon generator is further configured to generate an individual beacon for the first device, the individual beacon indicative of a second scheduled time for communication with the first device, and wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit, during the first scheduled time for communication with the first device, the individual beacon in the direction associated with the first device.

16. A method of communicating data in a wireless network, the method comprising:

transmitting an association request to a device;

receiving a conventional beacon from the device;

communicating data with the device; and

receiving a short beacon from the device, wherein the short beacon comprises a first PHY preamble, the conventional beacon comprises a second PHY preamble, and the first PHY preamble has a data size which is smaller than a data size of the second PHY preamble.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the conventional beacon has a data size which is larger than a data size of the short beacon.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the short beacon further comprises a PHY header, but does not comprise a MAC header or a MAC payload, and wherein the conventional beacon further comprises a PHY header, a MAC header, and a MAC payload.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the short beacon further comprises a PHY header, and a MAC header, but does not comprise a MAC payload, and wherein the conventional beacon further comprises a PHY header, a MAC header, and a MAC payload.

20. A system for communicating data in a wireless network, the system comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit an association request to a device; and

a receiver configured to receive a conventional beacon from the device, wherein the transmitter and receiver are further configured to communicate data with the device, and the receiver is further configured to receive a short beacon from the device, wherein the short beacon comprises a first PHY preamble, the conventional beacon comprises a second PHY preamble, and the first PHY preamble has a data size which is smaller than a data size of the second PHY preamble.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the data is indicative of audiovisual content.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the system is a consumer electronics component.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the consumer electronics component comprises a television, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a set-top box, a DVD player or recorder, a VCR, an audio player, a digital camera, a camcorder, a game device, or a computer peripheral such as a mouse, a keyboard, a printer, or a scanner.

24. A method of communicating data in a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving a short beacon comprising PHY information, wherein the short beacon excludes a MAC payload; and

receiving a conventional beacon,

wherein the short beacon comprises a first PHY preamble, the conventional beacon comprises a second PHY preamble, and the first PHY preamble has a data size which is smaller than a data size of the second PHY preamble.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the short beacon further excludes a MAC header.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising determining MAC information from the short beacon.

27. A system for communicating data in a wireless network, the system comprising a receiver configured to receive a short beacon comprising PHY information, and to receive a conventional beacon, wherein the short beacon comprises a first PHY preamble and excludes a MAC payload, and the conventional beacon comprises a second PHY preamble, and the first PHY preamble has a data size which is smaller than a data size of the second PHY preamble.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the short beacon further excludes a MAC header.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising a processor configured to determine MAC information from the short beacon.